


The Tyke

by reigningqueenofwords



Category: The Walking Dead
Genre: Angst, F/M, Swearing, mentions of cheating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-01-28 10:57:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12605052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reigningqueenofwords/pseuds/reigningqueenofwords
Summary: Reader comes back to town with her son.





	1. The Tyke

**Author's Note:**

> First posted on reigningqueenofwords.tumblr.com

Scooping the smiling little boy from his car seat, your breath caught in your throat. He was four, and the way his blue eyes were every bit his father never stopped amazing you. He’d look up at you and memories would come at you like a tidal wave. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you cleaned up for dinner.” You said, setting him on the sidewalk next to you.

The small boy knelt down, driving his toy car in circles as you grabbed the few bags from the trunk. “You need some help, ma’am?” Came a voice from behind you that made you freeze.

“Mommy, is rude ta inore!” Came the sweet voice of your son, making your eyes dart to him before turning to come face to face with Merle Dixon.

You’d never liked Merle, and he’d always made you uneasy. Years away hadn’t changed that one bit. “Well, well, well.” He smirked, a twinkle in his eye that made you taste bile. “If it isn’t little miss Y/N.”

“No, I don’t need help, Merle.” You told him, refusing to back down.

“Ain’tchya gon’ introduce me ta the tyke?” He asked, moving more towards him. “Hey, there, buddy.”

You were shaking slightly as you slammed your trunk shut, everything in your arms. “Come on, Finn.” You told your son firmly. “Say goodbye to Mr. Merle.” You hated the man with a passion, but you were trying to raise Finn right. There was no way you’d be blurting out that they shared a last name.

“Bye, Mr. Merle!” Finn’s eyes lit up as he waved.

Merle raised an eyebrow at you, but looked back to Finn. “See ya round, Finn. Nice meetin’ ya.” He stood up, his eyes locked on yours as he slowly walked by. “I’ll be seein’ ya.” It sounded almost like a threat to you.

* * *

With a devious smirk on his face, Merle grabbed a bottle of whiskey, his eyes set on his baby brother. “So, ya’ll never guess who I saw…” He started, leaning against a workbench.

Daryl looked over from the engine that he was working on, shrugging. “I ‘unno.” He muttered, going back to work.

“Pretty little thing.” Merle mused, taking a swig, his thumb hooked on a belt loop. “If I recall, she had one hell of a set a lungs.” He chuckled, making Daryl freeze, which Merle didn’t miss. “Looksta me like it wasn’ jus’ your name she was singin’, baby brother.”

Standing straight up, Daryl stared at his brother. “Ya got somethin’ ta say?” He snapped, his stance rigid, nostrils flared. “Huh?”

“Might wanna pay her a visi’.” He shrugged, acting like nothing was going on. “Had a tyke with her.” Merle went on, pushing off the bench that he was leaning on, enjoying this way too much. “Name o’ Finn…” Pausing for effect, he looked at Daryl. “And if those weren’ the bluest eyes I ever saw.”

With a tight jaw, Daryl’s breathing was heavy as he watched his older brother walk off. Turning, he threw the wrench that was in his hand, the clattering echoing in the garage. He glanced back towards Merle once more, hands on his hips as he thought back to the last time he’d seen you.

_Laughing, you smiled up at him. His hands were cupping your cheeks as your hands were on his hips. His shaggy hair was blowing in the gentle breeze as he peppered your face with kisses. “I have to go!” You giggled. “I have school!” You reminded him._

_“Ya gotta?” He smirked, wiggling his eyebrows at you._

_You smiled, pecking his lips. “We just got back from Spring break, and you’ll see me after school.” You reminded him. “One of us has to get their hands on that diploma.” You teased. “Go on. Go do your grease monkey thing.”_

_Daryl kissed you gently. “I’ll see you later.” He said quietly before heading back to his motorcycle, unaware that he wouldn’t be.  
_

* * *

Every time you went outside, you were terrified. Afraid that you’d turn, and there would be Merle. There to make your life hell, and to blackmail you. You’d come back to town, with every intention of finding Daryl, of telling him all about Finn…but you had to get there. You’d raised him alone since the day he was born. You’d ran off without ever telling him about his baby- his son. You felt terrible, but you did what you had felt to be the right choice at the time.

Days passed without a single sign of either Dixon. You started to wonder if maybe Daryl had left town. Did he have a family? Were you about to ruin his life by showing up? One thought led to a million more, making you second guess your choice to move back home. 

* * *

Daryl would stare at the stars as he sat at the bottom of the tree that had been ‘your thing’. He’d carved your initials into the bark years back, and they were still there. A reminder of when he thought you loved him.

Downing the last of his beer, he let out a low groan. Was Merle telling the truth? Had you been cheating on him? Did you run off because you had Rick’s kid? That was the only other person he could think of with blue eyes. Letting his head fall back, he closed his eyes, just to feel a raindrop on his cheek. “Fuck.” He muttered.

* * *

Finn had just finished brushing his teeth, and had made his way to his room to play for a few minutes before you read him a bedtime story. You were picking up from the fun day the two of you had, humming softly to yourself. It had been your first full day off in a week, and neither of you had laughed that much in awhile.

While he was a happy kid, moving had been an adjustment, and he had his moments. Hearing a knock at the door, you furrowed your brows. You didn’t reconnect with any of your old friends, and you didn’t have family here anymore. The knocking was more insistent as you dropped the toys onto the couch to put away after.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” You sighed, moving to the door quickly. Opening the door, your eyes went wide. There stood Daryl, hair sticking his face, wet clothes clinging to his lean body. “D-daryl?” You breathed, frozen in shock.

His once warm blue eyes eyes were cold as ice, and sent shivers down your spine. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he clenched his jaw. The anger was radiating from him, and you could feel it. “RICK?!” He spat, making you look at him confused. “You were fuckin’ Rick Grimes?”

You glanced over your shoulder, than back at him. “I don’t know who the hell told you that, but it’s not true.” You tried to get him to calm down. “Can you keep it down, Daryl?” Your voice was soft, and calm. “I will explain everything to you, I promise.”

“How long you been back?” He asked, his eyes locked on yours. “Lori know about the kid? Merle sa–”

“Merle?” You shook your head, letting out a sick chuckle. “Of course it was that low life that put that shit in your head.”

“Mommy?” Turning, you saw Finn in his favorite pajamas, his pirate bear clutched to his chest. “Cap wants a story.” He looked between you and Daryl, looking a bit scared. “Is that mean man?” He asked, as his old daycare had been teaching them about strangers.

Daryl felt like he’d been sucker punched in the gut. The little boy looking back at him was not Rick’s. He all but stumbled backwards, nearly falling down your three small steps. His eyes shot to you as you looked back to him.

You stepped forward slightly. “Daryl, please…” Your eyes begged him to stay. “Let me explain.” There was no way that you would force him to know his son, but to come here so riled up, to accuse you of sleeping with Rick, he owed you the chance to talk. “Come inside, and dry off.”

He looked scared to move, but finally nodded slowly. You stepped off to the side a bit as he walked up the stairs. Finn hadn’t moved, still holding his bear tight. Daryl looked around as he stepped through the door, trying to take everything in.

“Daryl, this is Finn.” You told him as you moved to crouch next to Finn, your hand on the small boy’s back. “Your son.” Looking up at Daryl, you hoped that even if he hated you, he tried to be there for Finn.        


	2. Thanks, Kid

* * *

_He looked scared to move, but finally nodded slowly. You stepped off to the side a bit as he walked up the stairs. Finn hadn’t moved, still holding his bear tight. Daryl looked around as he stepped through the door, trying to take everything in.  
_

_“Daryl, this is Finn.” You told him as you moved to crouch next to Finn, your hand on the small boy’s back. “Your son.” Looking up at Daryl, you hoped that even if he hated you, he tried to be there for Finn._  

* * *

Finn looked up at Daryl, then to you. “He’s wet, momma.” He said simply. “Cap get him a towel!” Without waiting for an answer, he took off down the hall, towards the bathroom. You stood, smiling softly at how sweet he was. Moments later, he came out with the towel that had been on the rack, holding it up to Daryl. “Here, mister.”

Slowly, Daryl reached out and took it. “Thanks, kid.” He said softly.

You took a deep breath and licked your lips. “Why don’t you dry off, get something to drink, and I’ll be right out. I need to get Finn to bed. I promise you’ll get to know him, but he does have daycare in the morning.” You told him gently.

“Sure.” He nodded, still trying to process everything.

“Say goodnight, Finn.”

Finn grinned up at Daryl. “Night, mister! Cap says night, too.” Daryl couldn’t help but smile softly at that. His blue eyes watched as you followed the small boy down the hall, and into his room. Letting out a small sigh, he dried his hair first as he looked around.

* * *

_“Put me down!” You giggled, having been thrown over Daryl’s shoulder. You’d been dating 6 months, and didn’t see an end in sight. Daryl had been 17, and you 15 when you first met. Almost instantly, you were always together. You brought out the best in each other, and were always laughing._

_Daryl moved towards the dock, moving quicker. “I don’ think so, babe.” You could hear the grin in his voice._

_Watching the dock, you tried to wiggle free. The water would still have it’s nip, and you weren’t exactly looking forward to that. “Daryl! Come on!” You tried to tickle his sides, but seconds later, you were both in the lake._

He went into the kitchen, straight to the fridge. Seeing a 6 pack, he was surprised, but pleased. He grabbed one and popped it open, letting the door shut as he took a swig. It was going to be a long night, one way or the other. He knew Merle said what he did to get a rise out of him, and it just pissed him off.

* * *

You tucked Finn in and gave him a soft smile. “What do you want to read tonight?”

“That’s my dad?” He asked quietly and you nodded. “You think he’ll like me?”

You sighed, running your hand through his hair. “How could he not, baby? I won’t lie and say that he’ll stay around. Some guys just don’t want wanna be dads, and that has nothing to do with you. I’m going to talk to him, and I hope that he wants to get to know what an amazing little boy you are.” You tickled his sides lightly, making him giggle. “Get some sleep, Finn.” Kissing his forehead, you got up and moved out of his room, back towards where you’d left Daryl.

Finding him in the living room, looking at some pictures, your arms wrapped around you. “He looks happy.” He said, glancing at you.

“He is.” You smiled slightly. “You probably want answers, though. You didn’t come here to look at some old pictures.” Your stomach was in knots.

Daryl took a swig of his beer. “That’d be nice.” He agreed.

You motioned for him to follow you into the kitchen to talk, the day that changed your life playing over and over in your head.

_Sitting in the bathroom, your back was against the locked door. You were sobbing into your knees, your arms holding them close to you. On the floor just inches away was the positive pregnancy test. It was your last day of spring break, and you just found out that you were going to be a mother. You were only 17! What did you know about being a mother?_

_“Y/N?” Your mother’s voice came from the other side of the door as she knocked. “You okay?”_

_You knew that this wasn’t something that you could hide for long, and you knew that your parents would be mad as hell. Getting up, you wiped your cheeks, and opened the door. “I’m pregnant, mom.” You said simply, doing it quick as if ripping off a bandaid._

Daryl sat in one of the chairs as you grabbed yourself a beer. You sat down, popping it open and drinking half in one go. “So.” He sighed, watching you. “How long did you know before you took off?” The way he said it felt like a knife in your gut.

“A day.” You licked your lips. Opening old wounds was hard, and having the father of your son across from you, looking at you like that made it worse. “I found out the last day of Spring break. That morning.” Your voice was soft, your finger nail picking at the label on your bottle.

He nodded, slightly eased that you hadn’t hid it for weeks, or months. “Why leave? Why didn’t you tell me I had a kid on the way?” The hurt was starting to come through, and it killed you. “Didn’t I _deserve_ to know I was gonna be a father?”

A tear slipped down your cheek as he spoke. “I left because of the way people saw you.” You looked him in the eyes. “You had a bad enough life. What was I supposed to do? Make it _worse_? I didn’t want you getting treated like shit because I got knocked up. And in turn, making _his_ life hard.” You could tell that hurt him, but it was the truth. “I saw that test, and I thought leaving this town behind was the best choice. I moved in with my aunt, finished high school, and worked.” You explained. “I never told you because I didn’t want you to feel _trapped_ with some teenager. I loved you, Daryl, and I know you loved me…but I didn’t want you staying with me because of a baby. And I _knew_ that being a father wasn’t exactly on your to-do list.” By now, you were fully crying, and it felt like your insides were being twisted. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Daryl was torn. He was angry with you, down right pissed that you’d taken off with his kid. That you had never given him the chance, but seeing you like this killed him. And knowing that you took on the job of a single mother to protect him was hitting him hard. “I wouldn’t have felt trapped.” He said quietly, your eyes going from the table, to him. “I had planned to ask you to marry me that summer. I was savin’ up to get you a ring.” Hearing that, your stomach dropped, and your eyes went wide. He let out a half chuckle. “Figured I’d work through your senior year, save up. Get us our own little place.”

You’d already felt guilty, and that just added to it. “I would have said yes.” You breathed, putting your elbows on the table and resting your forehead in your hands. “In a heartbeat.”


End file.
